Orphan At 15 Becomes Nat Geo Global Award Winner at 31

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As they say, the most severe difficulties are reserved for the bravest of all. But when Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita from Nepal lost her parents, little did she expect from life. She didn’t know how to raise her younger sister, let alone aim or succeed in life. But she did. This year, she was awarded the National Geographic adventurer of the year.

Akita is a 31-year-old mountaineer from Nepal. The prestigious award is given to those who show humanitarian values through adventure. She received the award for her extending tremendous help to Nepal earthquake victims in 2015 and for being an inspiration to the young generation of her country. For her, adventure is not an entertainment, but a way to the provide unrestricted support for her society. Her felicitation has been a very proud moment for all Nepalese, especially for the Sherpas.

Akita was brought up in Lukla, Nepal, in the umbra of the Everest. Her strong willpower and dedication made her ascend the tallest peaks of the world (Everest, K2 et al) and put her through untiring effort to serve up the underprivileged in the repercussion of the Nepal earthquake of April 2015.

Pasang Lhamu started her career as one of the first students at the Khumbu Climbing Center (KCC) when she was 19; the first school in Nepal that offers official mountaineering training to the citizens. Following her training, Lhamu turned out to be the first woman instructor of mountaineering in Nepal.

The news of Pasang being accredited with National Geographic’s 2016 Adventurers of the Year went viral on November 13, 2015. Out of all the odds that Nepal faced, Pasang’s selection as the Adventurer of the Year was considered as the only good thing that happened to Nepal this year.”

Determined, dedicated, modest and brilliant Pasang is the inspiration to the next generation of Nepal. Thus far, thousands of talented young women have been motivated by Lhamu’s achievement throughout Nepal and she has set an example that amended the itinerary of the country.

In one of her interviews, Pasang shared all her experiences of growing up in the lap of Himalaya, her expedition of K2, her encounter with the fatal avalanche of 2014 at the Everest base camp, current mission to allocate blankets to the devastatingly affected people of Nepal earthquake. Moreover, she is sincerely involved in her project to provide fundamental education to the deprived young women of her motherland.

May God bless her with all the courage and good luck in her noble endeavour.